


Hey, Neighbor

by emphasisonem



Series: Idylwood [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Small Town, Bisexual Steve Rogers, F/M, First Meetings, Fluff, Gay Bucky Barnes, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-13
Updated: 2016-07-13
Packaged: 2018-07-23 20:42:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7479255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emphasisonem/pseuds/emphasisonem
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Hey, neighbor,” Steve calls out, waving. The man’s eyes snap to his, and <i>wow</i>. Steve nearly trips over his own feet because of the steely eyes flashing at him in the early morning sun, but he manages not to face plant in front of the Adonis sizing him up. “You need a hand?”</p><p>The guy looks a bit suspicious, brow furrowed slightly. His long brown hair is swept back from his face in a messy bun and dark stubble peppers his cheeks and jawline, giving him a rugged look. Steve is <i>into it</i>. Like wondering what that stubble would feel like against his clean-shaven face if the guy decided to pin him against a wall and kiss him breathless into it.</p><p>  <b>Prequel to "Who I Am Inside" in which Steve meets Bucky and has a hard time keeping his cool.</b></p>
            </blockquote>





	Hey, Neighbor

**Author's Note:**

> So, the fluffy oneshot that was supposed to be a quick diversion to clear my head has taken on a life of its own thanks to some wonderful readers who pointed out that there's a lot to explore in this 'verse. You're all wonderful, and I hope you enjoy this!

Steve’s never seen the dark-haired man who’s standing outside what was Sew It Goes Tailoring before Harold Barnes died. For one thing, the tiny town of Idylwood is only 357 people strong, and Steve knows all of the adults and many of the children by name.

For another, he’s pretty sure he’d remember seeing a guy as hot as this one before.

Steve’s always been attracted to men and women, but it’s just been simpler to date the opposite sex and avoid the questions that’d be sure to come if he walked down Main Street holding a man’s hand. But Steve’s never seen a man anywhere _near_ as handsome as this one in real life, much less in Idylwood. Steve wonders if he’s as breathtaking up close as he is from a distance, and resolves to walk over and introduce himself to find out.

Steve straightens one of the rakes in the display he’s put together this morning, and jogs back to the entrance of Rogers & Wilson Hardware.

“Sam,” he calls to the dark-skinned man behind the register through the open door. It’s a beautiful October day, and Steve wants all the fresh air he can get. “I’m gonna step away for a few. You good?”

“Yeah, man, I think I can handle the zero customers here, thanks,” Sam snarks back, and Steve chuckles as he strides away and across the street.

The guy’s lifting a box full of begonias from the bed of an old pickup truck as Steve makes his way over, his most welcoming smile gracing his features. Whoever this man is, he’s going to be the subject of questions, speculations and rumors for years simply because he hasn’t lived in Idylwood his whole life. Steve wants at least one of his early introductions to the town to be a pleasant one.

“Hey, neighbor,” Steve calls out, waving. The man’s eyes snap to his, and _wow_. Steve nearly trips over his own feet because of the steely eyes flashing at him in the early morning sun, but he manages not to face plant in front of the Adonis sizing him up. “You need a hand?”

The guy looks a bit suspicious, brow furrowed slightly. His long brown hair is swept back from his face in a messy bun and dark stubble peppers his cheeks and jawline, giving him a rugged look. Steve is _into it._ Like wondering what that stubble would feel like against his clean-shaven face if the guy decided to pin him against a wall and kiss him breathless into it.

 _Stop it_ , Steve chastises himself as he waits for a response. _You have a girlfriend for Christ’s sake._

But while Sharon is beautiful and a lot of fun to be with, Steve can’t quite recall his heart racing like this the first time he really noticed her.

Finally, a soft smile graces the brunet’s features.

“I guess some help would be nice,” he says, setting down the box and extending his hand. “Bucky Barnes.”

“Harold’s grandson, then, I guess,” Steve replies, grasping Bucky’s hand and trying mightily not to jump at the jolt of electricity that touch produces. There’s a knowing look in Bucky’s eyes, though, and his smile has morphed into a smirk as he nods.

 _Keep it the fuck together, Rogers_ , Steve berates himself.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Steve continues, releasing Bucky’s hand. “I’m Steve Rogers. I own the hardware store just over there.” He points to his building, sitting catty-corner to Bucky’s. “Well, co-own, really. Me and my friend Sam.”

“Lovely,” Bucky grins. “Now I know where to go for a good screw.”

Steve’s face flushes and his eyes widen as he nearly swallows his tongue. He’s coughing, working to get air into his lungs, and Bucky’s beside him, pounding on his back.

“Shit, sorry,” Bucky huffs out a laugh once Steve can breathe again. “Just a joke. An awful, awful joke. Guess I’m not as funny as I thought.”

“No, it was good,” Steve chuckles softly. “Just unexpected.”

Steve gestures to the boxes in the bed of the truck. “So, shall we get these inside?”

“Yeah, sure,” Bucky smiles. “Thanks, man.”

 

* * *

 

“So, where you from?” Steve asks Bucky as he sets down a box of roses, smiling down at them fondly. Bucky makes a mental note of that. Roses are a little too traditional for his tastes, but he kind of loves the hopeless romantics who can’t help but adore the ultimate floral symbol of love.

“Brooklyn,” Bucky replies, setting down a box of tulips. “I was originally gonna try and open a florist shop down there, but property values are insane now with all the fuckin’ hipster kids movin’ in. When Gramps passed, he left me this. Figured it was the universe’s way of saying it was time for a new adventure.”

“Nice,” Steve smiles, and shit, this guy is like obscenely attractive. Like old-school movie star handsome. His blond hair is parted and slicked back neatly, and the white t-shirt and jeans he’s wearing hug his muscular frame just right. “I’m actually from Brooklyn too.”

“Are you really?” Bucky’s surprised. Steve looks the part of small-town nice guy, and he’s having trouble picturing him in his former home.

“Yeah,” Steve says. “I mean, we moved up here when I was a kid. Me and my ma, after my dad passed away. I was twelve.”

“Hell of an adjustment,” Bucky grins. “It’s nice, though, this town.”

“Well, it’s easier when you’re a kid,” Steve chuckles. “You’re in for it, pal. There’s a guy who moved to town about ten years ago, and people still refer to him as ‘the new fella.’”

Bucky bursts out laughing because, yeah, that’s about what he expected. He might be Harold Barnes’s grandson, but he’s still a stranger to these people.

 

* * *

 

Steve can’t help the smile that spreads across his face as Bucky laughs, head thrown back to expose the long column of his throat. Steve wonders what it would be like to trail kisses along that skin, what it would look like with bruises sucked into it. He tightens his hands into fists, willing  himself to remember Sharon.

Bucky’s wide gray eyes meet Steve’s, and _Christ_ , Steve has no idea how to handle the mischievous glint he sees there. He swallows, trying to bring some moisture to his suddenly dry mouth.

“Well, it won’t be the first time I’ve been the subject of rumors,” Bucky smirks, walking past Steve, his hips swaying in a way that makes Steve sure the brunet knows _exactly_ what he’s doing to him. “Come on. We only have a few more boxes.”

Steve follows Bucky outside and is met immediately by a bubbling Sharon.

“There you are,” she smiles, and Steve can’t help but grin in return. Sharon really is beautiful, and she’s been a constant in Steve’s life since they began dating their junior year of high school. This woman standing before him is his future, he reminds himself as she leans up and places a chaste kiss to his lips. “Sam said you couldn’t have gone too far. Who’s this?”

Steve turns to Bucky, whose gray eyes are narrowed as he takes in the way Sharon’s hand grasps Steve’s, and Steve feels a surge of guilt that he can’t explain. Is it because he hadn’t mentioned Sharon? Because he’s been thinking of Bucky in a way that’s decidedly inappropriate when he’s happily committed to his girlfriend? All of the above?

“Uh, this is Bucky,” Steve manages to introduce them. “Bucky Barnes. Bucky this is my girlfriend Sharon Carter.”

Bucky’s face morphs into what appears to be a friendly smile, but Steve can see the fragility of the expression just below the surface, and he feels like the biggest damn heel on the planet.

“Nice to meet you, Sharon,” Bucky shakes her hand quickly. “I hope you’ll encourage Steve to come to my shop when he’s planning on buying you some nice flowers.”

“I certainly will,” Sharon grins, oblivious to the tension in Bucky’s body. She turns back to Steve. “I just wanted to let you know I can’t make lunch today. They need a couple of the teachers to supervise a bake sale, and I drew one of the short straws.”

“Shar, you shouldn’t have wasted your free period,” Steve smiles down at her. “Coulda just called.”

“I know that,” Sharon giggles, and Steve could swear he sees Bucky wince from the corner of his eye. “Just wanted to see you quick. I oughta go, though.”

Sharon leans up to kiss him again, lingering this time, and Steve can feel the blush rising to his cheeks. He shouldn’t be this uncomfortable kissing his girlfriend in front of Bucky, but he is, and he’s not sure what to do with the unease churning in his gut.

“I’ll see you later,” Steve forces a smile as they part.

“You will,” Sharon trills, then waves at the brunet behind Steve. “Bye, Bucky. It was nice meeting you!”

“You as well,” Bucky grins, waving back. Sharon saunters off, throwing one last smile in Steve’s direction.

There’s a tense silence between the two men, but once Sharon’s turned the corner, Bucky says, “She’s very pretty.”

“Yeah,” Steve sighs. “She is. We’ve, uh, been together a long time now. Since high school.”

“And yet, not married,” Bucky’s tone is light, but there’s a challenge in his eyes that leaves Steve a little weak in the knees. “Unusual for high school sweethearts in a small town, isn’t it?”

“Sharon certainly thinks so,” Steve chuckles. “ Nine years is a long time to wait for a ring, I guess. Maybe we should be married by now. I don’t know.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t be,” Bucky’s reply sounds casual and nonchalant, but Steve hears what could be longing in the other man’s voice.

Steve forces a laugh, trying to ease the tension. “We’ll figure it out, I guess. I doubt she’s going anywhere. Anyway, I don’t wanna burden you with my indecisiveness.”

“Hey you helped me carry flowers,” Bucky grins. “You can burden me with whatever you want.”

Steve feels the tension in his shoulders ease as he laughs for real. “Let’s get these last two boxes in. I oughta get back to hawkin’ hammers and the like.”

Bucky nods, handing Steve the lilies and grabbing the sunflowers himself.

“Thanks, Steve,” Bucky says as they set the flowers down inside the shop. “Really, it was nice of you to come help. And I do hope I’ll see you anytime you screw up enough to need to buy Sharon a peace offering.

“Of course,” Steve smiles, extending his hand again, reveling in the feel of Bucky’s warm, strong hand grasping his again. “I’ll see you around, Bucky.”

Steve pulls back, regretting every step he takes away from the brunet and cursing himself for it as he walks back to the hardware store.

 

* * *

 

“Well,” Bucky sighs, addressing the flowers. “That’s an unfortunate development, isn’t it?”

With the way Steve had been checking him out, the last thing Bucky had expected was that there was a woman in the picture. But Steve seems like a nice guy, a good neighbor to have in a town like this. Bucky knows Steve’s right, knows he’ll be the subject of idle gossip for ages probably, and he’s glad he’s got Steve in his corner.

He smiles, deciding to thank Steve in the only way he really knows how.

 

* * *

 

Sam grins as Steve walks through the door the next morning. _This is going to be so much fun_ , he thinks to himself as he watches his best friend hurry to the front counter.

“Sorry I’m late,” Steve huffs out, an apologetic smile on his face. Sam just laughs, shaking his head.

“Yeah, because we’re experiencing a hell of a busy morning,” Sam motions his head to indicate old Mrs. Newman studying the gardening tools intently. “There’s something in your office by the way. Got dropped off early this morning.”

Steve’s brow furrows in confusion. “Really? I don’t remember ordering anything.”

Sam follows Steve to the office behind the counter because he has _got_ to see this reaction.

“What the?” Steve gasps, an expression of stunned surprise lighting up his features. Half a dozen red roses sit in a slim white vase, accented with baby’s breath and a few other slender greens. Sam can hardly contain the laugh bubbling its way up from his chest, but he manages.

“Who?” Steve’s voice is a little breathless, and Sam can’t help chuckling a little.

“There’s a card, genius,” Sam smirks, pointing out the small white envelope sitting among the flowers.

He watches Steve open it, blue eyes widening comically. Steve reads it aloud because these two don’t keep secrets, which is why Sam’s hardly surprised that the flowers turn out to be from a guy. Sharon’s not the type to send a boyfriend flowers.

“Thanks for your help yesterday, neighbor. Looking forward to getting to know you. Bucky,” Steve breathes. “Shit.”

“It would appear,” Sam grins. “That you have an admirer.”

“ _Shit_ ,” Steve repeats, and Sam doubles over with laughter even as his friend glares at him.

Whatever. It’s been _way_ too long since anything interesting has happened in Idylwood. Sam can’t wait to meet this Bucky guy who’s already shaking things up.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
